Association of Anxiety, Depression, and Somatization with Menstrual Problems Among North Korean Women Defectors in South Korea

Overview

Journal Psychiatry Investig

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2017 Dec 7

PMID 29209375

Citations 3

Authors

Hyun Kyoung Kim

Hee Sook Kim

Seog Ju Kim

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: North Korean women defectors have suffered from anxiety, depression, and somatization after defection. Also they have had many menstrual problems like amenorrhea. This study was done to identify the correlations of anxiety, depression, and somatization to menstrual problems among North Korean woman defectors in South Korea.

Methods: The participants in this study were 126 women from 5 government resettlement centers throughout South Korea. Questionnaires which included State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Center for Epidemiological studies-Depression Scale (CED-S), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) were used to identify anxiety and somatization. Data were collected between June and September, 2012.

Results: The women reported the following problems; amenorrhea (9.5%), hypomenorrhea (13.6%), menorrhagia (19.8%), polymenorrhea (13.5%), oligomenorrhea (4.8%), changes in amount of menstrual discharge (4.0%), and changes in amount of blood clot (9.5%). Anxiety (r=0.20, p=0.002), depression (r=0.25, p=0.005), and Somatization (r=0.35, p<0.001) were correlated with number of menstrual problems.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that mental health services need to be taken into account in interventions for North Korean woman defectors to improve their reproductive health including addressing menstrual problems.

Citing Articles

The link between tinnitus and menstrual cycle disorders in premenopausal women.

Zuriekat M, Al-Rawashdeh B, Nanah A, Nanah M, Basha A Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):2821.

PMID: 39843937 PMC: 11754614. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-87408-7.

Association between gynecological disorders and insomnia and depression trajectories: a longitudinal study of middle-aged women.

Zhong H, Zeng F Front Psychiatry. 2025; 15():1515678.

PMID: 39839137 PMC: 11747789. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1515678.

Depression and Its Effect on the Menstrual Cycle.

Padda J, Khalid K, Hitawala G, Batra N, Pokhriyal S, Mohan A Cureus. 2021; 13(7):e16532.

PMID: 34430141 PMC: 8378322. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.16532.

Increased medial prefrontal cortical thickness and resilience to traumatic experiences in North Korean refugees.

Jeong H, Lee Y, Kim N, Jeon S, Jun J, Yoo S Sci Rep. 2021; 11(1):14910.

PMID: 34290327 PMC: 8295347. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94452-6.

Depression in North Korean refugees: a mixed methods study.

Han H, Chung Y, Kim K, Lee J, Kim M Public Health. 2020; 185:283-289.

PMID: 32711242 PMC: 7483378. DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2020.05.046.

References

Garside R, Britten N, Stein K . The experience of heavy menstrual bleeding: a systematic review and meta-ethnography of qualitative studies. J Adv Nurs. 2008; 63(6):550-62. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04750.x. View

Choi S, Park S, Joung H . Still life with less: North Korean young adult defectors in South Korea show continued poor nutrition and physique. Nutr Res Pract. 2010; 4(2):136-41. PMC: 2867224. DOI: 10.4162/nrp.2010.4.2.136. View

Yoo Y, Cho O, Cha K, Boo Y . Factors influencing post-traumatic stress in Korean forensic science investigators. Asian Nurs Res (Korean Soc Nurs Sci). 2014; 7(3):136-41. DOI: 10.1016/j.anr.2013.07.002. View

Liu X, Yang Y, Yuan P, Zhang X, Han Y, Cao Y . A study of the relationship between mental health and menstrual abnormalities in female middle school students from postearthquake Wenchuan. Biosci Trends. 2010; 4(1):4-8. View

Goldstein-Ferber S, Granot M . The association between somatization and perceived ability: roles in dysmenorrhea among Israeli Arab adolescents. Psychosom Med. 2006; 68(1):136-42. DOI: 10.1097/01.psy.0000197644.95292.00. View

Song B, Yoo S, Kang H, Byeon S, Shin S, Hwang E . Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and Heart-Rate Variability among North Korean Defectors. Psychiatry Investig. 2012; 8(4):297-304. PMC: 3246136. DOI: 10.4306/pi.2011.8.4.297. View

Fukuda K . Somatization disorder and bradykinin. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2003; 57(6):609. DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1819.2003.01177.x. View

Taghizadeh Z, Shirmohammadi M, Feizi A, Arbabi M . The effect of cognitive behavioural psycho-education on premenstrual syndrome and related symptoms. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2012; 20(8):705-13. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2850.2012.01965.x. View

Shin G, Lee S . Mental health and PTSD in female North Korean refugees. Health Care Women Int. 2013; 36(4):409-23. DOI: 10.1080/07399332.2013.817412. View

10.

Wang B, Kwon Y, Jeon W, Noh J . Factors associated with the frequency of physician visits among North Korean defectors residing in South Korea: a cross-sectional study. BMC Health Serv Res. 2015; 15:90. PMC: 4377198. DOI: 10.1186/s12913-015-0736-0. View

11.

Munro M, Critchley H, Fraser I . The FIGO systems for nomenclature and classification of causes of abnormal uterine bleeding in the reproductive years: who needs them?. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2012; 207(4):259-65. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2012.01.046. View

12.

Min S . Divided countries, divided mind 1: psycho-social issues in adaptation problems of north korean defectors. Psychiatry Investig. 2010; 5(1):1-13. PMC: 2796094. DOI: 10.4306/pi.2008.5.1.1. View

13.

Kim H, Lee Y, Kim H, Kim J, Kim S, Bae S . Prevalence and correlates of psychiatric symptoms in north korean defectors. Psychiatry Investig. 2011; 8(3):179-85. PMC: 3182381. DOI: 10.4306/pi.2011.8.3.179. View

14.

Jeon W, Eom J, Min S . A 7-year follow-up study on the mental health of North Korean defectors in South Korea. J Trauma Stress. 2013; 26(1):158-64. DOI: 10.1002/jts.21783. View

15.

Jo H, Kim H . Factors Affecting Suicidal Ideation Among Middle-Aged Korean Women in an Urban-Rural Province. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2016; 30(5):539-43. DOI: 10.1016/j.apnu.2016.04.010. View

16.

Shin S, Kim H, Liw L, Kim S . Depression and PTSD in Pashtun Women in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Asian Nurs Res (Korean Soc Nurs Sci). 2014; 3(2):90-8. DOI: 10.1016/S1976-1317(09)60020-7. View

17.

Fava G, Fabbri S, Sirri L, Wise T . Psychological factors affecting medical condition: a new proposal for DSM-V. Psychosomatics. 2007; 48(2):103-11. DOI: 10.1176/appi.psy.48.2.103. View

18.

Faul F, Erdfelder E, Lang A, Buchner A . G*Power 3: a flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behav Res Methods. 2007; 39(2):175-91. DOI: 10.3758/bf03193146. View

19.

Jeon W, Hong C, Lee C, Kim D, Han M, Min S . Correlation between traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder among North Korean defectors in South Korea. J Trauma Stress. 2005; 18(2):147-54. DOI: 10.1002/jts.20017. View

20.

Choe M, Yi M, Choi J, Shin G . [Health knowledge, health promoting behavior and factors influencing health promoting behavior of north korean defectors in South Korea]. J Korean Acad Nurs. 2012; 42(5):622-31. DOI: 10.4040/jkan.2012.42.5.622. View